Pending June 6 (Lear)
- Total is 35, but you are graduating and would need the 40 unless you are being held back because users are eligible for their year 2 stats now.
- You are tying your player character to this character but you are referencing your player character being at a school in France in a nearby city when dealing with a fight in the ability app. If your player character lived a period of time in France, this will need to be Indexed with the Index team because a visit to relatives and dealing with school squabbles are very different levels of presence. Please either clarify or register relevant amendments with Index.

Pending June 8 (Lear)
Link to encyclopedia

[quote][center][size=125][b][color=#976299]TRUNK[/color][/b][/size][/center][/quote]
[quote][center]Stamina: 7 | Evasion: 20 | Strength: 5 | Wisdom: 12 | Arcane Power: 7 | Accuracy: 11
+2 from Quidditch Wins ([url=https://hogwarts.io/viewtopic.php?p=215087&hilit=stat+Aaron+Jones#p215087]x[/url] and [url=https://hogwarts.io/viewtopic.php?p=199722&hilit=stat+Aaron+Jones#p199722]x[/url]) with Aaron Jones[/center][/quote]
[quote]1st Year: Wandmaker (WC: 540)
[quote][center]27.94 cm (11 inches) beech wood and white river monster spine, flexible
+1 accuracy with charms, -2 wisdom DC (WDC) requirement when casting a charm[/center][/quote]
[reducio]Madeleine was practically born in a wandshop. It was pretty much a second home to the girl whose mother was studying the craft since before she was born. The day after Madeleine displayed her first sign of magic, her mother sat her down in the wand studio and showed her all the different aspects of wandmaking. Of course the budding witch had been in this shop plenty of times, and she'd even been walked through the basics before, but this time was different. Her mother was going to design a wand for her, which made the process exponentially more interesting. 

Seven-year-old Maddie was much more invested in having a visually appealing wand rather than a wand that "matched her in spirit," but her mother was excellent at guiding the young witch's understanding of all the different wand aspects' importance. The core that would be at the heart of her spellcasting and the wood that would protect the core and focus her casting. The flexibility that would match her in temperament, and the length that needed to be comfortable for her.

Although she was too young to test the wands in her mother's shop, Madeleine watched others come into the shop over the years and saw the disastrous or magnificent displays from customers searching for the wand that suited them. It looked like it was a process that took a lot of different wands for testing, but her mother reassured her over the years that the wand she was making would suit Maddie perfectly. Some people got wands specifically made for them, and that's exactly what was happening here.

Just a week after the appearance of an Abraxan feather which formally invited her to Beauxbatons, Maddie was gifted with the wand that her mother had poured her heart into. A masterpiece, in her mother's words. When she opened the wooden box, Maddie saw a wand that would be with her for the rest of her life.

---

27.94 cm (11 inches): Given the slightly above average length of her wand, Madeleine is rather balanced in personality but leans more towards dramatics and liveliness. She doesn't like to draw attention in an obvious manner, but she does like attention in general and having eyes on her. She is a performer, after all.

Beech: Maddie's mother raised her to be open-minded, so she has always been accepting of the differences in others. She will grow to understand a lot of the intricacies of the wizarding world due to the friends and experiences she will have. Being matched with a beech wand means that her casting will have an artistry rivaled by few others, which will match her performances well.

White River Monster Spine: Madeleine does not come from the most wealthy home in the traditional sense, but she had a home wealthy in love. Although her mother was often busy, Maddie never lacked in love even if she lacked in attention. With a spine wand core, her charms will be forceful and elegant.

Flexible: Madeleine is a flexible individual, literally and figuratively. As a dancer, she has the flexibility and control of her body to dance and cast well. She is adaptable and flexible to situations in life because of her family, friends and the experiences she has had thus far and to come.[/reducio]
[quote]Flavor: These spells look "different" in practice. For example, your Lumos might be a blue light, Fumos might have a foul or a sweet scent. Tells for spells (such as if the wand casts a light for a spell) are unaltered. If a user is taking this wand, they do need to list the "altered appearance" of their spells in their trunk and the altered appearances of these spells cannot have a statistically relevant effect.[/quote]
[reducio]will list the spells with different appearances here later[/reducio]
2nd Year: Charmer (WC: 401)
[reducio]From the age of four, Madeleine has been learning to dance. It is an art form where she excels and takes great pride. As she went from being a young girl learning to dance the chicken to properly learning ballet,  she found that she could move in ways that some of her peers could not. She received almost all of the solos and the leads because people simply loved to watch her. She was on pointe (haha, i'm very punny) with her facial expressions, her execution of the dance moves and her overall stage presence. She was simply charming to watch, and she had a natural grace that allowed her to excel in her classes and recitals. Although she put in tons of practice and hard work, her grace always seemed to come so effortlessly.

Even outside of dance, Madeleine possessed an outlook on life that was charming. She loves most art forms and finds ways to compliment people and their efforts on things even in situations where others would scold them (except for dance - she has high standards for dance). Her hometown of Colmar is known as one of the most beautiful cities in France, and she has explored every inch of the place. She has gone through the museums, researched the architecture and boated on the rivers. Everything about the place is beautiful and probably growing up in such a charming village has rubbed off on her.

The young girl was dubbed as charming from a young age, but it was only amplified after her first year at Beauxbatons. Learning magic was something Madeleine had always looked forward to, but it came as a shock to her that the school placed so much emphasis on showmanship as well. Her mother went to a different wizarding school so she'd had no idea what to expect, but this was even better than she could have hoped! In her classes, she learned how to cast spells accurately, but even more important: gracefully. Her natural grace came in handy when they were being graded on showmanship, because she captured the attention of the whole class at times. Incorporating her proper wand movements and her enunciation of spells, sometimes coupled with a twirl here or an extra brandishing of her wand (after the spell was properly cast) there. She was a natural-born performer, and she loved to have all eyes on her when she was doing well.[/reducio]
3rd year: Perfectionist (WC: 418)
[reducio]Madeleine is well aware of what the term "perfectionist" means, considering that is exactly what she is as a dancer. She has been dancing since the age of four, and it has been drilled into her how important technique is. Every pirouette, every jeté, every relevé - it all needs to be executed flawlessly. In order to be the best of the best, perfection is necessary.

Learning magic at Beauxbatons for the past two years, Maddie has found that she aims to be the same way with her spellcasting. Beauxbatons focuses on the performing arts, and she has learned that combining casting with her dancing makes for very beautiful performances. Sending a stream of sparks above the stage when she raises her arm for a beautiful flourish, using lumos to light a dance in the dark and draw the audience's eye, using attack spells to dramatize the storytelling of dance. All of these are ways to enhance her performances in front of a magical audience, and anything that draws more eyes to her is worth perfecting.

So Maddie really focuses when it comes to spellwork. Being familiar with hard work and practice from her years of dance, it isn't hard for her to get in the same mindset for her schooling. She is a good student in general, but her spellcasting gets most of her attention. Perfecting her wand movement and her enunciation of the spells comes before memorizing the history behind the spells. She is a visual learner, so being able to see the spells and the expected result means she is much more interested in them than the written work of school. Her dance background comes in handy when needing to reproduce a specific movement with her wand just by watching someone else cast. Mads also challenges herself regularly by incorporating her dance with her spells after she feels she has mastered them, so that when she is standing still her spells feel almost effortless in comparison to dancing at the same time. Although she is less motivated with spells that lack a visual component, they still get the same dedication and process of perfection - just so she can stay on top of her wandwork.

All this practice has led to her having a lot of confidence in her magical ability, and she knows that it's very unlikely for her to fail a spell - or even if she does, it almost never backfires. She casts with confidence, and that is also key to success.[/reducio]
4th year: Cat's Grace (WC: 420)
[reducio]
Madeleine has always had a natural grace to her movements - it's why she was put in dance classes and excels in them. But recently that grace has extended beyond her dance ability and is being put to use in other ways. During her third year, she discovered some information that tilted her world - specifically that her father was alive and well, not dead as she had been told her whole life by her mother. And the only reason she discovered this was because he was a staff member at Hogwarts, which Beauxbatons students had been visiting for years now. 

During the trip that she saw him (and after the initial shock), she started to follow him to find out more about him. It was natural to be curious about the man whom she had been told so little about, right? Mads' grace meant she was light on her feet, and so occasionally, when she saw him alone walking down a corridor, she would fall into step behind him unnoticed. He liked to go to the library a lot, and he seemed to gravitate towards Mr Browne and Nora. It would be an awfully weird coincidence if her father was friends with her own best friend's father. And speaking of said best friend, Maddie ended up using her talent to hide from Cassanora once or twice during that trip too. To avoid answering questions about where she was constantly sneaking off to without her, and to avoid having to lie to the blonde.

Maddie never thought she would be using her light-footedness to follow someone unnoticed, but that's exactly what she did during that trip to Hogwarts. It was a skill that she didn't realize she had before, but fell into quite easily considering she had great control over her own body. There was one time that she was almost caught when the Head of Ravenclaw looked over his shoulder and he seemed to [i]sniff[/i] the air (that was really weird -maybe he was having allergies?), but she had quickly and easily ducked into one of the castle's alcoves without being spotted. Sure, her heart had been pounding at the idea of getting caught, but almost in a good way? She had found something she was unexpectedly good at - sneaking around and staying in the shadows - and it was proving quite useful. Of course, during that particular trip she wouldn't realize the full potential of her skills, but as the years go on her cat-like stealth would come in handy.
[/reducio]
5th year: Lovely Creature (WC: 429)
[reducio]Madeleine has always taken a great interest in her appearance - at the very least when she's due to perform. As a ballerina, she has always tried to treat her body with great respect and admiration - after all, it it is able to perform amazing feats of flexibility and poise that others can't. Her body is what her whole career will depend on as a professional dancer. So she eats right, she measures often, and she tries to keep herself in the best health. She has been paying more attention to her body than most children do growing up. Considering her success in her dance classes, her efforts continue and she is very aware of any changes she's going through and makes adjustments accordingly. 

Her genetics of course also play into her natural beauty. She's always viewed her mother as very naturally beautiful and youthful,  but recently spending time with her father has led Madeleine to worry. Signs of her father's premature aging has caused her to have a spiked interest in skincare (something her aunt was more than happy to teach her about). Sure, the premature aging is probably from him turning into a wolf every month, but better safe than sorry. In truth, her father - if he was not subject to the premature aging - would probably be as good-looking as her mother, so she was lucky in that aspect from both sides of her family.

And recently as a teenager, Maddie's taken to getting into fashion and makeup as well. She knows how to do performance makeup thanks to dancing and dressing up for shows, but outside of her performances she used to be pretty relaxed in her demeanor and outfits. Now that she's noticing the attention of others outside of just her dancing, she takes greater care to look presentable at all times rather than just class times. She reads the latest Witch Weekly magazines, keeps up with the latest fashion trends, and saves her allowance for makeup and fashion pieces that her mother would likely say no to. Being at boarding school, though, means she has the freedom to explore her style and fashion pretty freely.

Some of Madeleine's friends at Beauxbatons had already taken a huge interest in these topics so were ready and willing to teach her all that they knew. Thanks to her own research and their efforts, Maddie's natural beauty was only enhanced. Skincare, fashion, makeup and genetics all contribute to the beauty that she's experiencing now as a fifteen-year-old. Her beauty will only grow as she continues her efforts into adulthood.[/reducio]
6th Year: Nonverbal Magic (WC: 409)
[reducio]Fifth year meant that Madeleine would finally be learning to cast spells nonverbally. She had been looking forward to learning this skill for years now, ever since she'd seen some upperclassmen incorporating nonverbal (and wandless) magic into their performances. She didn't mind the idea of always using her wand - it was quite an aesthetic wand and she could work in the clean lines of her dance with her spell movements pretty easily. It was having to whisper the incantations during her spells that often took a lot of focus and distracted her. She was constantly worried she was saying the incantation too loud and that it would disrupt the audience, who would be watching her lips move, focused on what she might cast, when they should be focused on the story and the dance. It was probably a very minor thing to most people, but it was a very major annoyance for the French witch. So after spending years now watching upperclassmen rehearsals and studying the way that they seamlessly incorporated their nonverbal magic, it was finally her turn to master the skill and work it into her own performances. Time to bring her talent to the next level.

When Maddie set her mind to something, her perfectionist side tended to come out. Every new spell learned during fifth year was coupled with at least an hour after class trying to cast it nonverbally, even if the professor didn't require it at the time. She spent plenty of review days studying nonverbal casting too, even if they were being quizzed on spells learned years ago and their incantations. With her best friend Cassanora being a year ahead of her now, she would often go to her with questions and advice.

Thanks to all of the efforts she put in towards the beginning of the year, Maddie really mastered her nonverbal casting by the time graduation was rolling around. With her final performances of the year upcoming, she was determined to use her new skill in her final dance. She practiced not only the nonverbal casting, but the dances, the timing, the wand movements. And the result? An Outstanding grade from her professor and a standing ovation from the audience. (Sure, she had performed with a couple other girls during that final performance, but surely the applause was mostly directed at her as a final "brava!" for mastering nonverbal casting. It would be ridiculous to think it was anything else.)[/reducio][/quote]

Approved June 6 (Lear)

Pending June 6 (Lear); no edit noted on follow-up June 8 (Lear)
- Often we want to know 'why' they are lovely. The entire lovely creature app was written that she was pretty because she was pretty. That would be like applying for blind vision and the reasoning being "I have blindvision."
- Stats only add up to 35, it should be 40.
- We need to know what happened to your mother. Death within a few years of one bearing years is uncommon in even muggles, wizards have the extra layer of having magic to heal them from most diseases and ailments. So we will need an explanation for her death.

PENDING - 20th June (Hjørdis) - The lovely creature app needs to be changed. I can't approve this because it's still "she was pretty because she was pretty". Please remember that the character is 11 and it's kind of creepy if strangers are getting lost in "her beauty". Please explain why she's deemed as lovely in a way that isn't solely physical. You can talk about things such as her attitude, mannerisms, clothing, personality, what she does to make herself look lovely etc.

Approved - June 24 (Lear)
Link to Encyclopedia Page

Name: Alnilam White
School: Beauxbatons
Year: 1
Status: Pure-blood
Appearance:Alnilam is a girl with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. She has freckles covering her face. She has light skin.

Reducio

Personality: She is a smart, confident girl. She sees her sisters as examples of herself. He loves reading books. She is a quiet girl.
History:
Alnilam was born in Paris, the capital of France, as the third child of her father and Orion mother Capella. Because they were interested in astronomy, her parents named her Alnilam, the 30th brightest star in the sky. Her mother was a fashion designer and her father was a worker. Even though they were both purebloods, they were trying to keep good relations with muggles.

Their house is above a pastry shop near the Eiffel Tower. Sometimes they buy fresh bread and croissants for breakfast. She loves to eat with her family on the balcony with the view of the Eiffel tower.

Her eldest sister, Bellatrix, graduated from Beauxbatons this year and opened her own bakery. Her middle sister, Vega, is in her last year at school. Alnilam loved both of her sisters very much.

Alnilam's first example of magic was when he was only 6 years old, when he was going to pick up a book to read from the top shelves of his home library, he forgot that the book was very heavy and closed his eyes when the book was about to fall on him. When She opened her eyes, she saw the book floating in the air.

Stats STA5•EVA 6•STR 5•WIS 9•ARC 6•ACC9
Is your character a Broom Racer? NO.
Is your character a Quidditch Player? NO.
Is your character a Duelist? NO

Abilities: Human

Approved - Galahad

Peter can be a second string beater on the qudditch team!

Name: Clément Guillaume Cantegrel

School: Beauxbatons

Year: 1st Year (going onto Second)

Status: Halfblood

Appearance: Clément is a skinny boy of average height, with uncombed, light brown hair and distant-looking copper brown eyes. He has pale skin, with a hint of freckles across his face. These days, he often looks sad.

Personality: Before his father's early death, Clément was an outgoing little boy, sunshine radiating through him. He laughed at his father's jokes, ran in the grass and chased after the cats. However, he entirely changed after his father passed away. He became cold and distant, shoulders drooped and head down. The only times his past self would show, was when he was playing cello.

History:
Clément was born on the 7th of October 2012, on a foggy night, to Maléane Villedarie and Guillaume Cantegrel.

His father, Guillaume, was a professional cellist who often travelled with a famous orchestra in different places around the world to perform. Clément, little though he was, always travelled with his father, and therefore music became a big part of his life as well.

Just before his second birthday, however, Clément's parents divorced. Maléane, his mother, did not support the frequent travels of his father, "You are a man who has a family, Guillaume! In your life, you don't only have cello and music, you have me, me and Clément and a home! I will not support it if you are barely home one or two days, and then you have to go on tours for months again!" Maléane had wanted Clément to stay with her, but the little boy would not leave his beloved father.

Growing up with his father, Clément was taught the art of cello at the early age of three, and gave his first solo performance at barely seven years old.

Unfortunately, Guillaume died just after the boy's ninth birthday, and so the boy went back to his mother, who was now married to another man. Deep inside her heart, Maléane loved her son dearly, but after the years of separation, an invisible shield was placed between them. After the death of his father, the little boy became very sad, and no trace of his old, extroverted self remained. His mother tried to comfort him, but Clément was unapproachable.

Is your character a Broom Racer? NO

Is your character a Quidditch Player? NO

Is your character a Duelist? NO

Stats: Stamina-6; Evasion-8; Strength-4; Wisdom-5; Arcane Power-9; Accuracy-8

Abilities: N/A

Pending 6/20 - Galahad: Your character's backstory explicitly references abuse/neglect from Clement's mother. Our rating does not allow those sorts of backstories, please make changes to it. Additionally, your character will be a second year once approved so you would need to add 5 points across your stats.

Your history has to be at least 200 words.

Pending June 24 (Lear)
No evidence of edit on follow-up rounds.

Approved - Magdalena, 29 June 2024

NPC Name: Maximilien de Fostoncy
Link: here
Year: sixth

Contents change: I have never officially named Maxi's grandmother and I would like to state that her maiden name was Veerle Delcroix, who later on adopted the de Fostoncy last name after she married Louis de Fostoncy. Veerle is the sister of Cyriel Delcroix, who is Enzo Delcroix's (@Akari Kato's iNPC) grandfather. This makes Maxi and Enzo second cousins.

The Delcroixes are Belgian and naturally Cyriel and Veerle grew up in Belgium. However, upon Veerle's marriage she moved to France, and so did Cyriel's branch so as to keep closer to her. The Delcroix and the de Fostoncy were once close when Veerle was alive, but grew apart after she passed away due to childbirth. Louis was traumatised by her death and did not want to see anybody that can remind him of her (except his own son, of course, whom he couldn't really just cast out of the house), cutting the ties and shying away.

How I would like this relationship to be reflected in Maxi's background plus a bit bug-fixing:

Reducio

After rereading my original family background part I unexpectedly found that I have stated that Maxi's grandmother is from a French pureblood family, while the Delcroix family originates from Belgium. Also, I’d rather not specify Veerle’s father’s name and just leave it blank (as this character is now somehow shared between me and Akari, just in case there will be extra details coming in the future; also I don’t really think a shared name can contribute to Vincent's storyline). I believe that outside Maxi's ency page I have never mentioned these in threads.

If approved, I will update the words in ''the family'' section from:

Like any other heirs of noble families, Louis married his arranged wife, a beautiful young lady from another notable pureblood family in France. Their marriage was a happy one, but this came to an end when Louis’s wife passed away when giving birth to their only son Vincent, whom she named after her own father.

to:

Like a majority of heirs of noble families, Louis was betrothed to a beautiful young lady from a notable pureblood family - the Delcroix clan - which originated from Belgium. Their marriage turned out to be a happy one, but this came to an end when Louis’s wife passed away when giving birth to their only son Vincent.

Changes are bolded in both paragraphs. Also updated a few words to make it clearer overall.

This relation and Veerle's first name will be stated below somewhere (haven’t made up my mind yet) so as not to interrupt my narration. Her name and detail was rather a mystery to Maxi because 1) her death was a painful thing to both Louis and Vincent and they didn’t want to talk about her; 2) Maxi didn’t really cared about it because she was like, a super old lady who existed 50 years ago. He would start to be interested in Easter 2024, as he unexpectedly found her old wand (see below in Wandmaker ability app).

Upon approval, I will copy past this new paragraph into my ency to replace the old one.

Sports: still broomracer!

Stats: +5 stats from graduation and +2 from duel wins 12 (+1 stamina, +2 strength, +2 wisdom, +2 accuracy)
Old: stamina 9· evasion 14 · strength 4 · wisdom 13 · arcane power 7 · accuracy 11
New: stamina 10 · evasion 14 · strength 6 · wisdom 15 · arcane power 7 · accuracy 13

Abilities: applying for Wandmaker. [Black Walnut | Horned Serpent Horn | 12.5 inches/31.75 cm | Inflexible]

Reducio

Easter break, 2024.

Maxi dragged his feet across the grand Château towards his favourite hiding spot in the massive vineyard, pondering how he might hint to his grandfather about the possibility of getting a new wand. Ever since he got lost in that damned maze and bumped himself into the hedge during the last broom racing practice, everything wasn’t quite the same again. He left the track with scratches on his forehead, aches in his chest, and much distress over his heart. Physical pain and mental strain were discouraging enough for a stressful fifth-year student near the end-of-term exam, but the dysfunction of his wand was the final straw. Not that it was broken or such; he had managed to pocket it properly when he crashed into the bushes. It simply…didn't click anymore.

He contemplated. No, it’s not that the de Fostoncys couldn’t afford a new custom-made wand for their only son; Maxi just found it embarrassing and awkward to ask. It’s difficult to describe it when you felt you had lost the connection you used to have with your wand, and his grandfather would probably remark that it was a temporary thing. Though he was pretty sure that eventually Louis would take him to an established Wandmaker and get him a new wand that matched him well, deep in his heart, strangely enough, Maxi wasn’t really keen on this idea.

But if a new wand wouldn’t work, what would?

It suddenly struck him that the de Fostoncys owned a storeroom in one of the attics, managed by his father. He had been there a couple of times, admiring the delicate artefacts and patterned fabrics that belonged to his ancestors, such as his great-grandfather. Last year, Vincent spent a whole month sorting out the stuff into organised groups, and a wand - they probably had several in stock, actually - shouldn’t be too hard to find.

Maybe he would discover a wand of an ancestor that felt just right, and secretly swap them without telling anybody. That would be a win-win, to fetch himself a handy wand and connect with a distant, glorious family member at the same time. What a wonderful, wonderful idea.

And so he quickly got out of his hiding place and jogged towards the main mansion. Sneaking into the doorway and stealthily tiptoeing upstairs, Maxi soon made his way to the dim attic. He cast Lumos with his current wand - his remark would be that while his current wand didn’t feel that right, it was sufficient for basic casting - and carefully opened the cracking old door.

Carpet, clock, cup… He went through the labels his father had stuck to each drawer and halted when the label read WAND. Heart racing, Maxi bent over and slowly drew it out, discovering nine boxes in total in the drawer. He seized four of the boxes on top, sitting on the floor and crossing his legs, and started a quiet, monologic trial.

He went through all of them, randomly casting Charms he liked. But none of them felt right; they weren’t even as good as his current one. He gave another two a try and was almost defeated in his attempt after accidentally knocking an antique vase on the windowsill over into pieces.

But when he leaned over and grabbed the seventh wand, warmth tickled from the tip of his finger to the end of his arm. And the room seemed to be lighter and fresher.

Gosh. That…was it.

He examined the wand box, from which dust had probably been cleaned by his father. Initials were signed on the back of the box, possibly by its owner. V. D. The D had been playfully crossed out and replaced by an F in cursive script.

It was probably because of the sound made by the broken vase, and his grandfather and father made their appearances. Maxi put the wand into the box and looked up. While he used to be scared and compelled to face his grandfather and father, confidence seemed to have slowly been built over the years. Maybe it was the friends he had made along the way, maybe it was due to the various broom races he had completed, where he had to race in front of hundreds of people; or maybe it was simply because he had turned sixteen. Every grown-up was different from their child version of themselves in some way, he supposed. “My wand isn’t feeling as handy as it used to be. So yeah.” He said, rather casually. Maxi cast his eyes down to the box in his hands, then to Louis and Vincent. They were silent, standing by the door and looking sober. Maxi felt a little bit hesitant to be this ad lib, glancing at their countenances.

“Er…this wand feels just right, actually. Whose wand is this?” He probably couldn’t just run off and pretend that nothing had happened, so he’d better just confront his fate. Even if he was scolded for taking his liberty into the attic, it might be worth it. He raised the box. “V. D. - or V. F.?”

Louis took the box containing the wand from his hands, only casting a single glance at it. The elderly and the middle-aged wizards still said nothing. Maxi eyed them inquisitively. Instead of just acting out strict grandfather and aloof father, both were looking…sorrowful.

And all of a sudden, everything was clear. There was only one thing in the world that could cause a breakdown in both Louis and Vincent, besides the extermination of the de Fostoncy clan.

“Is it…hers?”

He admitted that he really hadn’t cared much about his late grandmother, who passed away ages ago after giving birth to his father. He had probably inquired about her when he was very young, but all he could remember was that Louis abruptly switched the topic, and Vincent remained silent. In the de Fostoncy household, she seemed to not exist.

And yet she was (probably) the only one that really softened the de Fostoncy patriarchs’ hearts.

Before Maxi realised it, Louis had already walked out of the room with the wand, and Vincent was following. “Father.” Maxi called out hastily, ignoring all those tedious and useless titles. “…what’s her name?” He whispered.

Vincent turned, and Maxi could see that his eyes were, surprisingly, emotional. Maxi lowered his head. Vincent’s face twisted, as if answering this simple question meant causing him great pain.

“Veerle.” He finally said, sounding as if he was trying hard to hold back tears. “Her name is Veerle. Veerle Delcroix.”

And then Vincent hastened his steps, disappearing into the hallways.

***

Summer holiday, 2024

The last two months of his fifth year had turned out to be okay. He had done a little (unsuccessful) inquiry into his grandmother’s maiden family, and finished his exams pretty uneventfully with his old wand. The only thing was that Louis had taken his grandmother’s wand away, and probably Maxi wouldn’t have the chance to see it again. Both his grandfather and father had treasured everything his grandmother had left behind, and her wand must be on top of that list. He would be compensated with a custom-made wand, possibly. That was…a little disappointing, really.

Upon his arrival at the Château, Maxi dragged his luggage upstairs and walked light-heartedly into his own bedroom, like every other start of holiday. He was shocked to find a familiar-looking box placed on his desk, as if it had appeared from nowhere. He threw his suitcase and carefully placed his hands on it. Inside was a wand, polished, shiny as new.

It was her wand. Veerle Delcroix’s wand. Veerle de Fostoncy’s wand. His grandmother’s wand. His wand.

WC| 1283

WOOD | black walnut
Ever since he joined broom racing, Maxi had been trained to trust his instincts. As a part-time writer and dreamer, he spent a lot of time contemplating, contributing to deeper insights into a variety of topics. It was said that black walnut wood valued sincerity and self-awareness in its owner - well, maybe he’d lie here and there to meet his grandfather’s standards. However, Maxi was mostly honest with himself. If he ever wanted something, he wouldn’t hesitate to go for it in some applicable way. This also honed his skills at being discreet and careful. What’s more, his passion and knowledge of Charms made the pair an even more decent one. (112/50)

CORE | horned serpent horn
While Maxi could get annoyed as everyone else did, he would, under most circumstances, rather sort things out in a more peaceful way.  He was an intellectual wizard, and despite the fact that he was usually deceitful towards his pushy grandfather about what he really thought, Maxi remained honest towards himself and wouldn’t think twice if he had made up his mind. Maxi also had a great passion for writing, especially poetry and fairytales, and it was natural that he was sensitive to emotions and feelings, no matter if they were his own or others’. He wrote, and he created. Those who were aware of this hobby were always encouraged by his work. (113/50)

LENGTH | 12.5 inches/31.75 cm
Who said that an introvert couldn’t have a dramatic sense? Maxi had always been a daydreamer, and all sorts of things went on in his head. From knights who capture dragons to valkyries defeating opponents, from fairies dancing hand in hand to thrushes chanting in groups, Maxi was definitely a fan of grander scenes and wouldn’t mind creating one himself - charming ones, of course, like fireworks - if he ever had the chance. The case was simple enough; it’s just go big or go home. (86/50)

FLEXIBILITY | inflexible
Even though Maxi was a huge fan of inventing stories, sometimes even unrealistic ones, he was someone who firmly stuck to his own beliefs. While his grandfather might have expected him to do one thing through all these years (such as that he shouldn’t make friends with people from certain families), Maxi, while pretending to be obeying the orders, actually followed his own will time after time. Maxi had lots going on in his own mind; there’s not really space left for Louis’ ideas. (84/50)

Coding:

Reducio

Code: Select all

[quote][quote][center][size=150][b][i]- TRUNK -[/i][/b][/size][/center][/quote]
[quote][center][size=115][b]| stats |[/b][/size]
[b]stamina[/b] 10 · [b]evasion[/b] 14 · [b]strength[/b] 6 
[b]wisdom[/b] 15 · [b]arcane power[/b] 7 · [b]accuracy[/b] 13
[size=95][[i]+5 from wins [url=https://hogwarts.io/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=13594&hilit=&start=50#p215087]1[/url] [url=https://hogwarts.io/viewtopic.php?p=463143#p463143]2[/url] [url=https://hogwarts.io/viewtopic.php?p=594611#p594611]3[/url] [url=https://hogwarts.io/viewtopic.php?p=894018#p894018]4[/url] [url=https://hogwarts.io/viewtopic.php?p=996465#p996465]5[/url][/i]][/size][/center][/quote]
[quote][center][size=115][b]| wand |[/b][/size]
[b]wood[/b] black walnut · [b]core[/b] horned serpent horn 
[b]length[/b] 12.5 inches/31.75 cm · [b]flexibility[/b] inflexible[/center][reducio][size=95][b]wood effects ——[/b]
• Flavor: Will lose power if their owner lies to themselves. Will gain power when they are finally honest with themselves. A great anime-like moment for those that enjoy the genre.

[b]core effects ——[/b]
• Flavor: Known to vibrate when Parseltongue is being spoken within hearing distance.
• 50% chance that this wand will vibrate if there is an unknown (stealth) individual in a thread. They are not revealed but the wand would serve as a warning that they are not alone.
• 5% chance to auto-dodge attacks (the wand makes a musical tone in instances of impending danger that serve as a warning). This does not break the 20% caps on auto-dodge.[/size][/reducio][/quote]
[quote][center][size=115][b]| abilities |[/b][/size][/center][color=transparent]—[/color][b]year 1.[/b] lovely creature · [i]+2 opponent wis dc[/i]
[reducio][size=95]At the time Maximilien was born, he was considered handsome. It was not really a surprise, though, since his parents were all extremely good looking. Mélanie Janvaque was one of the most gorgeous girls in class in her school days, and Vincent de Fostoncy was secretly had a crush on by many students. Honestly speaking, no one in the family wasn’t good looking — from Louis to Maximilien.

Successfully inherited his mother’s eye color and hair color, the boy was fairly good looking. He had good the straight nose of the de Fostoncy family, and thin, pink lips. His eyelashes were long, and were of brown color. His mother regarded him as a doll when he was sleeping. Actually, even if the boy’s awake, he was like a gorgeous statue.

When walking on the streets in Lyon, Maximilien was looked attentively by many strangers. They stopped when he and his father passed by, and pointed at them secretly. Sometimes the boy’s ears would catch a few words like “handsome” “good looking” “lovely”. He was young at that time, and did not really take these things seriously. However his father was glad. Glad that someone had praised his son.

Attending fancy balls played a large part in the family. Louis de Fostoncy, the current count, especially loved these kinds of activities. Taking the beautiful Madame de Fostoncy, the handsome Chevalier de Fostoncy, and the young de Fostoncy heir was just extremely agreeable, since whenever and wherever the family of four showed up, they would earn applause and praises. People admired the wealthy family, but especially, envied their beauty. They dragged the young heir near them, and examined him carefully, hoping to point some flaws on his face out. However, they failed. Maximilien was too lovely to find out a flaw. If you had to point something out, you might say that he’s a bit chubby — but he was still a good looking child. The old ladies especially loved this pretty boy. They talked with him for hours, even if the boy got bored. 

By the time he was eleven, Maximilien had became even more handsome. He had mostly grew his chubby cheeks out, became taller, athletic built, and was always dressed in elegant dark colored clothes. The boy was still admired and envied by many others, and the future count of the de Fostoncy family was highly estimated. 

Without a doubt, Maximilien de Fostoncy was always a lovely creature.

WC | 405[/size][/reducio][color=transparent]—[/color][b]year 2.[/b] perfectionist · [i]-1 critical failure range[/i]
[reducio][size=95]Growing up, Maximilien had always been a perfectionist. Being stubborn, he wanted everything to be the best — which he would not regret afterwards.

From the age of four, his grandfather forced him to stay inside the house and study spells and potions for the whole morning. His father was his mentor — and to his surprise, Maximilien did everything extremely well. One day Monsieur le Chevalier taught him a difficult potion, and within hours, Maximilien could revise the recipe correctly. Vincent was surprised. But what he did not know is, after he had gave the book to the young Maximilien and left, the boy copied the recipe for seven times. It was really long, but he still did it.

Upon the time he was accepted into Beauxbatons, Maximilien was hard working student. He loved Charms and Potions, as well as Defense Against the Dark Arts. Most of his classmates had seen this boy working alone late at night in his dormitory, and many of them had seen him practicing spells in an empty classroom. The library was nearly Maximilien’s second home — he did not have many friends, so he visited there a lot during weekends. 

The boy wanted everything to be perfect. He studied hard, did physical exercises everyday, and kept a healthy diet. He was proud and stubborn, so it helped him to be perfect. Day by day, he continued to study in the library and his dorm. And as a result, he improved day by day.

He received seven Os in his examination. His grandfather and father was really glad, but they still lacked knowledge of how hard Maximilien had worked. Most things were perfect — and that’s exactly what Maximilien wanted to see. He was overjoyed to see his academic results, and the boy decided that he would even study harder afterwards. He wanted himself to be the best, though he had never spoken it out loud.

When it’s the summer before his second year, Maximilien spent tons of time reading in the library in the de Fodtoncy Estate. While his grandfather was busy showing off at friends’ houses, his father busy running the wine estate, and his mother busy visiting her own maiden family, Maximilien read, and learnt. He had briefly met his cousins for two days, and all they saw was the boy was reading whenever and wherever. Maximilien loved it, and decided to do everything well. 

His knowledge of spells and potions were extending every moment. It’s no surprise that he had already became a perfectionist — because, Maximilien de Fostoncy was just born as one.

WC | 424[/size][/reducio][color=transparent]—[/color][b]year 3.[/b] spell spread · [i]-2 acc, +2 dc, +1 crit fail to target a second opponent[/i][reducio][size=95]Summer. Summer was always agreeable for Maxi, and especially this one. Monsieur le Comte had accepted the Duke Springhall’s invitation for him staying over for July, and thus Maximilien arrived at the Springhall Heights as soon as his schoolyear ended in Beauxbatons. The Duke welcomed him warmly, and he soon won the old wizard’s favour - who agreed to give him some lessons on duelling.

We would skip the part of how Maxi won this special favour, as even the boy himself was quite ignorant of the reason. Maybe it was because of his fine etiquette, compared to Edmund and Lindsey - or it was simply because that the Duke desperately wished to teach some young wizards the art of combating magic. Maxi knew that Edmund was nowhere near the title of a duellist, and Lindsey was on her house Quidditch team, and the Duke wasn’t very into that - somehow he regarded duelling as “the only sport that’s worth participating”.

But anyways, everything started within a week he arrived. Maximilien began to visit the Duke’s personal studio daily at 10 o’clock in the morning, and showed up as the very last one for tea. Finding his interests in the ancient English books about duelling, Maxi was more than happy to expand his knowledge. He was a perfectionist and wished perfection in everything, after all. Practicing always came after simple reading. It would be countless times every day, when Maxi raised up his wand and uttered the incantation out. The Duke would watch over every single spell he casted at the dummies (the Duke Springhall [i]did[/i] have one or two in his studio), and offered him some help. And then he would teach the young Frenchman some strategies and tactics, the latter found [i]everything[/i] fascinating, including the stern looking old wizard himself.

But no. None of these were as fascinating - as grand as what happened the other day, when he was about to leave in a few days. It was just like every other morning in York, cloudy and a little bit rainy. Facing two dummies and having the old wizard closely watching, Maxi raised his wand up. [color=#586d9d][b]“Flipendo!”[/b][/color] he uttered in perfect English, which made the Duke’s knitted brows smoothed. As what both the old and the young had expected, one line of blue light flashed out directly from the point of Maximilien’s wand. It was [i]perfect[/i]. Not the strongest version nor the most powerful one, but already ideal enough for a thirteen-year-old. Seeing the would almost certainly hit the dummy on the left, the Duke was about to say something, when -

It was all of a sudden, and it was unbelievable. But it was [i]true[/i]. As true as he was named Maximilien René Pascal Jacques Vincent Louis de Fostoncy. The spell split in two and targeted both of the dummies. Both were knocked over, and Maximilien stood there with surprise, wand still raised up in the air. The Duke was just as silent as the boy was, sitting there motionlessly.

[color=#5c5c5c][b]“Nice work, young man.”[/b][/color] the old wizard finally started, nodding approvingly. [color=#5c5c5c][b]“Few wizards can achieve that…only those who are truly talented…”[/b][/color] Lowering his wand and stepping forward to right the knocked-over dummies, Maxi smiled at the old wizard. [color=#586d9d][b]“Thank you, Monsieur le Duc.”[/b][/color] he said softly, while slowly raising his wand up again at the dummies.

He utilized his left days in the Springhall Heights to practice and get tutorials from the Duke - who helped him to learn to control his split spell. Maximilien knew that a grander spell meant a higher chance of failure. So he had to practice hard, like what a true perfectionist would do. Day by day his skills improved. And although backfiring still happened occasionally, he was far more better than what he had done the very first day he when discovered his skill. 

When he packed his things to leave for the Hogwarts Summer Camp on July 31st, it was raining outside. James Kingsleigh, the Duke’s clerk, offered to take him to the York train station, where he could set off for London. Maxi accepted this gratefully, and the two walked together silently in the rain, luggage in hand. James regretted not taking his wand with him, as they would only be able to conjure one umbrella using Maxi’s wand - instead of two, and Maxi shook his head. [color=#586d9d][b]“I believe it’s alright, Mister Kingsleigh.”[/b][/color] he smiled, while reaching for his wand. [color=#586d9d][b]“Pluvia Velo.”[/b][/color] 

James watched the the young French boy conjuring two umbrellas and passing one to him in surprise. However, he remarked nothing. Just a simple, grateful nod, and the two continued their walk in the rain with two umbrellas. No one was going to get wet. The skill was useful - thought Maxi. Indeed.

WC | 798[/size][/reducio][color=transparent]—[/color][b]year 4.[/b] perfectionist II · [i]immune to critical failures[/i][reducio][size=95]What was exactly [i]obsession[/i]? Maxi was longing to know the answer. He’d looked for it in his grandfather’s library, polled a few classmates for their opinions, and pondered it while wandering through his family’s wine estate. That was, until someone told him that he was prone to obsessions. It was certainly a helpful clue, now all he had to do was look through his hobbies and things that piqued his interest to figure out the answer. 

Lovely ladies? No, that wasn’t supposed to be an obsession. Flowers? Erm, he didn’t do much gardening to be honest. Spellcasting? Perhaps, he’d been practicing diligently and eager to know more about the art of combating magic, but he had already left the duelling team. In terms of extracurricular activities, earlier that year, he had switched from the Beauxbatons duelling team to broom racing. At the beginning he thought it was nothing than a mere impulse, only because racing sounded like the perfect combination of broom and spells, both of which he didn't want to miss. His grandfather was entirely supportive (how honourable for his grandson to be recognised on the track, and just think of the renown and scholarship!), as was his father, though the latter was slightly concerned that his son wouldn't be as dedicated to spellcasting as he had been previously. Maxi reassured Vincent that this would not happen, and he devoted himself into training without wasting any time. He started small, riding and avoiding obstacles and attacks. Day by day he got better, learning from experienced teammates and actively engaging in team practices. And he was certainly achieving things - he could target opponents moving fast on brooms as if they were on their feet, and he could as well ride through the wind and remain unmoved. Maybe that’s just what obsession was.

Oh, and there’s writing. Maxi did not forget about his little interest of writing, whether it was a poem, a fantasy, or a novella. People could dismiss this pastime as whimsical, especially when they come across the nymphs and nightingales written on the parchment, but Maxi adored them. It played a significant part in his life, and he made sure that he could write at least two poems and a short fable every week, no matter how busy he was. When he returned home for summer, Maxi secretly presented his mother his latest work as a gift without letting his grandfather or father know (they wouldn't approve of him writing this because it's “useless”, he knew it). A story about a well-educated young lady who overcame all hurdles with tenacity and pursued her dream career as an artist, despite her family’s opposition. When Mélanie read it, she couldn’t help but shed tears because the protagonist resembled her a lot but ended up realising her drea, unlike her. Impressive, she told her son tenderly, you really have a knack for this, my dearest little Maximilien, and I love it so much. Maxi smiled upon his mother’s comment, feeling that everything was worth it. Nobody knew how hard he had worked on the novella - how many times had he revised it? Seven? Eight? And at least two times were thorough amendments. When he was finally satisfied with his work, he transcribed the whole story in neat handwriting on fresh parchments, which took another three days to finalise. Indeed, he sure had some talent in this and writing the story did offer him much joy, but the effort paid also played a big part in making the whole thing perfect. Maxi never regretted it taking up his free time though, he knew perfecting the present for his mother was all he really wanted. Was that, by any chance, some kind of obsession?

He thought about many things, things that had, no matter briefly or chronically, once occupied his mind. After days meditating on the subject, Maxi thought he could now answer it. To strive for perfection. Maybe that’s what [i]obsession[/i] really meant.

WC | 663[/size][/reducio][color=transparent]—[/color][b]year 5.[/b] non-human enthusiast · [i]+1 accuracy against non-humans[/i][reducio][size=95]Maxi had always been a swot. 

From the time he could remember things he was into stories, or to be exact, fairytales and legends. First were the wizard novels and adventures found in his father’s studio — there weren’t many of them, but Maxi found great pleasure in reading them before he ever started his study in Beauxbatons. As soon as he enrolled he’d secretly borrow those muggle fairytales from his muggleborn classmates, and managed to read them when his grandfather was not around. Years passed, and Maxi was finally able to come to a conclusion out of this somehow fanatic passion — that, no matter who the main character was, be them wizard or muggle, a prince, princess, knight or a mere normal person, there was always something — or rather someone — that was never absent in such books. 

Creatures. 

Be it dragons or phoenixes, be it vampires or werewolves. They might be the ones that unfortunately fell in love with the princess at the same time as the prince, or might be some evil forces that tried to eat the knight in distress. Anyway, it seemed that they were inseparable from such stories, let it be muggle-ish or wizarding (only their forces in the wizarding stories might even be stronger to match the abilities of a wizard). Maxi’s interest in these beings was provoked.

He started to do research on these creatures. Being a wizard who was even able to meet these creatures in person if he was lucky enough (though it seemed now that he wasn’t that lucky, after all), it wasn’t difficult for him to gather relevant books and literature, and not before long he was able to absorb himself in the creatures’ world. Their characteristics were the first thing he paid attention to, and then their special abilities, their breeding, and their languages. Maxi thought he had known them better through such researches, and indeed he did. He soon became the introducer of magical creatures among the boys in his dorm, and, with his ability of story telling, he was quite welcomed.

Maxi had always been a storyteller.

The first time he’d compose a poem, he decided to write about a young Dhampir. He put his knowledge about the vampires and dhampirs into practice, but disappointedly found that he was still far from writing them well. The knowledge he got about them were basic, and he was far from an expert to use the information at his will. And so, he set out for the library again after class, and spent a week’s evenings reading the books he borrowed from the library in his dormitory. He took notes and drew graphs, and finally he thought he had gained a much deeper understanding of this certain breed. Maxi was excited and soon threw himself into writing. The poem was successful according to his friends, and was commented as “authentically vampirish”, even though none of them had ever seen a real vampire. Maxi was exceptionally glad about this first small but firm step — he had grasped the key of learning more about these non-humans. And so, he ventured his way further and looked up more information about them.

Hogwarts was known for its diversity, which Maxi respected a lot. The more times he visited Hogwarts, the more interested he got in it. If possible, he would really love to meet one or two not-perfectly-full-human students and get to know them and their special race eldership. Even though this wish had not been completed so far, Maxi was still running fast on his non-human research track. He continued to read and to take notes, and to compose poems and write novellas featuring non-human characters. And if there was one word to describe him, that would be…

Enthusiast.

WC| 631[/size][/reducio][color=transparent]—[/color][b]year 6.[/b] wandmaker · [i]50% stealth detect chance; 5% auto-dodge chance[/i][reducio][size=95][i]Easter break, 2024.[/i]

Maxi dragged his feet across the grand Château towards his favourite hiding spot in the massive vineyard, pondering how he might hint to his grandfather about the possibility of getting a new wand. Ever since he got lost in that damned maze and bumped himself into the hedge during the last broom racing practice, everything wasn’t quite the same again. He left the track with scratches on his forehead, aches in his chest, and much distress over his heart. Physical pain and mental strain were discouraging enough for a stressful fifth-year student near the end-of-term exam, but the dysfunction of his wand was the final straw. Not that it was broken or such; he had managed to pocket it properly when he crashed into the bushes. It simply…didn't click anymore.

He contemplated. No, it’s not that the de Fostoncys couldn’t afford a new custom-made wand for their only son; Maxi just found it embarrassing and awkward to ask. It’s difficult to describe it when you felt you had lost the connection you used to have with your wand, and his grandfather would probably remark that it was a temporary thing. Though he was pretty sure that eventually Louis would take him to an established Wandmaker and get him a new wand that matched him well, deep in his heart, strangely enough, Maxi wasn’t really keen on this idea.

But if a new wand wouldn’t work, what would?

It suddenly struck him that the de Fostoncys owned a storeroom in one of the attics, managed by his father. He had been there a couple of times, admiring the delicate artefacts and patterned fabrics that belonged to his ancestors, such as his great-grandfather. Last year, Vincent spent a whole month sorting out the stuff into organised groups, and a wand - they probably had several in stock, actually - shouldn’t be too hard to find. 

Maybe he would discover a wand of an ancestor that felt just right, and secretly swap them without telling anybody. That would be a win-win, to fetch himself a handy wand and connect with a distant, glorious family member at the same time. What a wonderful, wonderful idea.

And so he quickly got out of his hiding place and jogged towards the main mansion. Sneaking into the doorway and stealthily tiptoeing upstairs, Maxi soon made his way to the dim attic. He cast Lumos with his current wand - his remark would be that while his current wand didn’t feel [i]that[/i] right, it was sufficient for basic casting - and carefully opened the cracking old door.

Carpet, clock, cup… He went through the labels his father had stuck to each drawer and halted when the label read WAND. Heart racing, Maxi bent over and slowly drew it out, discovering nine boxes in total in the drawer. He seized four of the boxes on top, sitting on the floor and crossing his legs, and started a quiet, monologic trial.

He went through all of them, randomly casting Charms he liked. But none of them felt right; they weren’t even as good as his current one. He gave another two a try and was almost defeated in his attempt after accidentally knocking an antique vase on the windowsill over into pieces.

But when he leaned over and grabbed the seventh wand, warmth tickled from the tip of his finger to the end of his arm. And the room seemed to be lighter and fresher.

Gosh. That…was it.

He examined the wand box, from which dust had probably been cleaned by his father. Initials were signed on the back of the box, possibly by its owner. [i]V. D.[/i] The [i]D[/i] had been playfully crossed out and replaced by an [i]F[/i] in cursive script. 

It was probably because of the sound made by the broken vase, and his grandfather and father made their appearances. Maxi put the wand into the box and looked up. While he used to be scared and compelled to face his grandfather and father, confidence seemed to have slowly been built over the years. Maybe it was the friends he had made along the way, maybe it was due to the various broom races he had completed, where he had to race in front of hundreds of people; or maybe it was simply because he had turned sixteen. Every grown-up was different from their child version of themselves in some way, he supposed. [color=#056b68][b]“My wand isn’t feeling as handy as it used to be. So yeah.”[/b][/color] He said, rather casually. Maxi cast his eyes down to the box in his hands, then to Louis and Vincent. They were silent, standing by the door and looking sober. Maxi felt a little bit hesitant to be this ad lib, glancing at their countenances.

[color=#056b68][b]“Er…this wand feels just right, actually. Whose wand is this?”[/b][/color] He probably couldn’t just run off and pretend that nothing had happened, so he’d better just confront his fate. Even if he was scolded for taking his liberty into the attic, it might be worth it. He raised the box. [color=#056b68][b]“[i]V. D.[/i] - or [i]V. F.[/i]?”[/b][/color]

Louis took the box containing the wand from his hands, only casting a single glance at it. The elderly and the middle-aged wizards still said nothing. Maxi eyed them inquisitively. Instead of just acting out strict grandfather and aloof father, both were looking…sorrowful. 

And all of a sudden, everything was clear. There was only one thing in the world that could cause a breakdown in [i]both[/i] Louis and Vincent, besides the extermination of the de Fostoncy clan.

[color=#056b68][b]“Is it…[i]hers[/i]?”[/b][/color]

He admitted that he really hadn’t cared much about his late grandmother, who passed away ages ago after giving birth to his father. He had probably inquired about her when he was very young, but all he could remember was that Louis abruptly switched the topic, and Vincent remained silent. In the de Fostoncy household, she seemed to not exist.

And yet she was (probably) the only one that really softened the de Fostoncy patriarchs’ hearts.

Before Maxi realised it, Louis had already walked out of the room with the wand, and Vincent was following. [color=#056b68][b]“Father.”[/b][/color] Maxi called out hastily, ignoring all those tedious and useless titles. [color=#056b68][b]“…what’s her name?”[/b][/color] He whispered.

Vincent turned, and Maxi could see that his eyes were, surprisingly, emotional. Maxi lowered his head. Vincent’s face twisted, as if answering this simple question meant causing him great pain.

[b]“Veerle.”[/b] He finally said, sounding as if he was trying hard to hold back tears. [b]“Her name is Veerle. Veerle Delcroix.”[/b]

And then Vincent hastened his steps, disappearing into the hallways.

***

[i]Summer holiday, 2024[/i]

The last two months of his fifth year had turned out to be okay. He had done a little (unsuccessful) inquiry into his grandmother’s maiden family, and finished his exams pretty uneventfully with his old wand. The only thing was that Louis had taken his grandmother’s wand away, and probably Maxi wouldn’t have the chance to see it again. Both his grandfather and father had treasured everything his grandmother had left behind, and her wand must be on top of that list. He would be compensated with a custom-made wand, possibly. That was…a little disappointing, really.

Upon his arrival at the Château, Maxi dragged his luggage upstairs and walked light-heartedly into his own bedroom, like every other start of holiday. He was shocked to find a familiar-looking box placed on his desk, as if it had appeared from nowhere. He threw his suitcase and carefully placed his hands on it. Inside was a wand, polished, shiny as new. 

It was her wand. Veerle Delcroix’s wand. Veerle de Fostoncy’s wand. His grandmother’s wand. His wand.

WC| 1283[/size]

[center][size=95][b]wand profile[/b][/center]
[quote][size=95][b]wood | black walnut[/b]
Ever since he joined broom racing, Maxi had been trained to trust his instincts. As a part-time writer and dreamer, he spent a lot of time contemplating, contributing to deeper insights into a variety of topics. It was said that black walnut wood valued sincerity and self-awareness in its owner - well, maybe he’d lie here and there to meet his grandfather’s standards. However, Maxi was mostly honest with himself. If he ever wanted something, he wouldn’t hesitate to go for it in some applicable way. This also honed his skills at being discreet and careful. What’s more, his passion and knowledge of Charms made the pair an even more decent one. (112/50)[/size][/quote]
[quote][size=95][b]core | horned serpent horn[/b]
While Maxi could get annoyed as everyone else did, he would, under most circumstances, rather sort things out in a more peaceful way.  He was an intellectual wizard, and despite the fact that he was usually deceitful towards his pushy grandfather about what he really thought, Maxi remained honest towards himself and wouldn’t think twice if he had made up his mind. Maxi also had a great passion for writing, especially poetry and fairytales, and it was natural that he was sensitive to emotions and feelings, no matter if they were his own or others’. He wrote, and he created. Those who were aware of this hobby were always encouraged by his work. (113/50)[/size][/quote]
[quote][size=95][b]length | 12.5 inches/31.75 cm[/b]
Who said that an introvert couldn’t have a dramatic sense? Maxi had always been a daydreamer, and all sorts of things went on in his head. From knights who capture dragons to valkyries defeating opponents, from fairies dancing hand in hand to thrushes chanting in groups, Maxi was definitely a fan of grander scenes and wouldn’t mind creating one himself - charming ones, of course, like fireworks - if he ever had the chance. The case was simple enough; it’s just go big or go home. (86/50)[/size][/quote]
[quote][size=95][b]flexibility | inflexible[/b]
Even though Maxi was a huge fan of inventing stories, sometimes even unrealistic ones, he was someone who firmly stuck to his own beliefs. While his grandfather might have expected him to do one thing through all these years (such as that he shouldn’t make friends with people from certain families), Maxi, while pretending to be obeying the orders, actually followed his own will time after time. Maxi had lots going on in his own mind; there’s not really space left for Louis’ ideas. (84/50)[/size][/quote][/reducio][/quote]
[quote][center][size=115][b]| extracurricular |[/b][/size]
broom racer[/center][/quote][/quote]

Approved Magdalena 29 June 2024

NPC Name: Enzo Delcroix
Link:
Year: 5th
Stats:
Old -> Sta: 5 ~ Eva: 8 ~ Str: 5 ~ Wis: 9 ~ Arc p: 8 ~ Acc: 8
New -> Sta: 5 ~ Eva: 8 ~ Str: 5 ~ Wis: 16 (+7) ~ Arc p: 14 (+6) ~ Acc: 11 (+3)
(Total is 59, 55 fifth year cap + 4 from quidditch wins on my pc)

Abilities:

1. Fearless - year 3

Reducio

Enzo, quite frankly, was just too unbothered to be afraid. Fear was not really a concept to him, for you usually had to care to feel such an emotion. Most commonly it would be triggered and brought forth by the sensation of intimidation or by feeling threatened in situations that are not under your control, neither of which Enzo felt he was truly ever at risk of. Even in the case that he was, Enzo was the type of person to sarcastically laugh in the face of danger. In his mind he saw it as why add an unnecessary emotion to a situation out of your hands, that will cause nothing but more distress and more uneasiness.

Enzo always thought it to be a weak and a sorry excuse for an attempt of displaying some type of bravado - quite like the way a peacock will spread and show off its tail feathers - when others used intimidation to instill fear in those opposing them. It was a dramatic performance with nothing of substance to back it up. Same went for the people who would yell or scream when in arguments, throwing around empty words as a means to prove a point. It was just silly, and Enzo could see them for what they truly were. In the most straightforward terms terrified and insecure themselves.

When it came to fear in a more physical sense however, Enzo was still not fazed. If tossed into a high stakes environment such as a broom race or something of that sort, while some people's anxiety or anticipation may be brewing and stirring negative thoughts within them like a bubbly hot cauldron, he rather preferred to upcycle it, using the very same adrenaline and channeling it into doing his absolute best. Fear was a large obstacle and would try its very hardest to stop people from reaching their highest potential, but Enzo would not be a victim of it no matter what.

It was likely a trait he received from both his parents, for there was no doubt in his mind that however tough and stoic they were, when he looked at his mother and father he saw two incredibly bold and unwavering people, who shied away from nothing and no one. He deeply admired that quality, because carrying yourself with such an air of confidence and poise left little to no room for anyone to ever question you. Enzo could appreciate that, hence it was something he always wanted for himself too.

2. Perfectionist - year 4

Reducio

Perhaps it was the judgmental eyes of his parents, or the many hours of gruelling tutoring sessions, or even an arrogant strive to always be the best. Frankly in truth it might even be an amalgamation of all. But nevertheless, Enzo wanted to not just be good but excel greatly at everything and anything he picked up. He had no patience nor tolerance for mistakes. Mistakes were a waste of time, time that could have been spent bettering himself in something else.

On the one hand it was indeed a rather big flaw. It influenced his character in such a way where Enzo rarely would accept when he was in the wrong, and would do much to avoid ever finding himself in such scenarios. He was extremely headstrong and once he had made up his mind, it would take far too much to convince him otherwise.

However on the other hand, there was always positivity to be found if you looked close enough. Underneath all the facade of desperately needing things to go the way he wanted, Enzo’s meticulousness was also able to push him for the better. It gave him the skills of being detail oriented, thorough and precise, enabling him to succeed exceptionally in areas of his choosing.

Take his studies for example. Outside of school, all on his very own, from just rereading and memorizing word for word a few dusty old books he found hidden away in his attic, he was able to grasp the fundamentals of parseltongue without any help or verbal assistance from anyone. Enzo had been so fascinated and determined to learn the language of snakes, that he spent every free second he had perfecting and revising the knowledge that was accessible to him. Consuming his mind wholly, he did not rest properly until he had done so.

Not to mention, it surely was an asset when it came to school. Especially since he was growing older now and the workload was ever increasing, it was a motivator both good and bad, that pushed him no matter how bored or uninterested he was feeling, to sit down and practice practice practice, until he was confident he would reach or surpass his own expectations.

The feeling of knowing that you could have done something better, studied a little harder, revised a bit longer, was a torment like no other. It was the one true enemy and ultimate nemesis of perfectionism, and Enzo was constantly seeking to slay it for good.

3. Nonverbal magic - year 5

Reducio

If anyone, Enzo was the last person who would ever shy away from intense concentration and discipline. He loved a challenge, as a matter of fact he yearned for it, because why would you ever want to stay just mediocre. A challenge meant you had a goal and something to work towards, an opportunity to be better. Without that he would feel lost, without a way or a sense of direction, like he was blindfolded and dropped into the middle of the sea with no land for miles in any direction.

Magic was certainly a fickle thing, it did not particularly like to be controlled, you were more like its conduit than its master and Enzo did well to recognize that early on. He was always driven to achieve great lengths with its practice and as such would immediately jump on every opportunity he had to exercise the skills he was learning at school.

As his fifth year drew closer and he was obviously becoming very confident and comfortable with his current range of abilities, he decided it was time to begin his deep dive into how he could push himself to the next level.

It was certainly quite the undertaking for regular casting already took a lot of attentiveness and focus, but Enzo was determined to master the art of spell casting without uttering a word or even a sound aloud. It was a feat he loved witnessing because it appeared so effortless but in truth it was a pure display of mental strength.

So, he began practicing right away. He would search for a quiet place, where even a pin drop could be heard, so that he would be able to be fully immersed in complete silence with nothing but the sound of his own thoughts, in order to obtain absolute focus. He would close his eyes and inhale deeply before first envisioning the incantation of the spell that he wanted to cast, and then would clearly enunciate the sounds in his mind as if he was reading it audibly for the very first time. However, patience was the key.

He repeated this process a countless amount of times with different spells, clinging on to the elation of seeing his wand flicker briefly with a silent recitation of “lumos”, or an object twitch following his distinct thought of the word “accio”, until he was able to perform each spell just as he would have with his voice.

Extracurricular: none

Content Changes: inpc Maximilien de Fostoncy is now related to Enzo, approved by @Lindsey Springhall

Reducio

I have never written a family section in my ency aside from a quick paragraph about each of Enzo's parents and I don't believe I have ever mentioned any other family of his outside of that so there should not be any discrepancy. Once I make a new family section for him I will be integrating the following info:

- Enzo Delcroix and Maximilien de Fostoncy are second cousins
- Enzo's grandfather Cyriel Delcroix is brother to Maximilien's grandmother Veerle de Fostoncy (maiden name Veerle Delcroix)
- After Veerle Delcroix was betrothed to Louis de Fostoncy the rest of her immediate family immigrated to France from Belgium in order to be closer to her
- The families used to be close until Veerle past away and then they drifted apart

- Adrien Delcroix son of Cyriel and father to Enzo attended Beauxbatons but returned to Belgium upon graduation where he then met Enzo's mother Madeline
- After they had gotten married the newly wed Delcroixs had a falling out with Madelines' family to which they decided to flee back to France and settle down in Bordeaux.

Trunk Coding:

Reducio

Code: Select all

[quote][quote][b][center][img]/images/upload/8wsivt.webp[/img][/center][/b][/quote]

[quote][center][b][i]STATS[/i][/b][/center][center][color=#ada17b]──────────────────────[/color][/center][center]Stamina • 5 [color=#ada17b]|[/color] Evasion • 8 [color=#ada17b]|[/color] Strength • 5 [color=#ada17b]|[/color] Wisdom • 16 [color=#ada17b]|[/color] Arcane Power • 14 [color=#ada17b]|[/color] Accuracy • 11[/center][center][i]no current extracurriculars[/i][/center][/quote]
[center][b][i] year i. [/i][/b] [/center][center][color=#ada17b]────────────────────────────────[/color][/center][center][i]terrible presence [/i]⇩[/center][reducio]Enzo’s bored looking facial expressions and short tempered attitude is something that is quite noticeable once he enters a room. His mother always scolded him for acting the way he did, but he couldn’t help it; it was impossible for him to put on a fake smile or act like he was happy and excited when being talked to by others. “Be more friendly, be more social” these words that his mother told him were played in his head like a record, over and over and over again. But the only reason she asked this of him was so her idiotic friends would compliment her on what a nice son she has. So did he care? Not in the slightest. All it did was anger him to no end. Why does he have to change who he is? If she didn’t like who he was she should have raised him better. At least that is what he thought. How did she expect him to be a peppy enthusiastic boy who prances around eagerly all the time? She was the one who sheltered him from the whole world because he's 'a weak little boy wouldn’t be able to survive in such a cruel society'. Although he never spoke back or talked out of turn to his elders, he always had a whirlwind of unpleasant comments rushing through his brain. When he did get the chance to meet other kids, most of the time they did not talk to him voluntarily, since they seemed kind of weary of him, like he’d bite their head off or something. In all honesty, he wasn’t a cruel or a particularly mean kid, I guess you could say he just had something that was off about him. One thing that was clear to everyone who met the family was that Enzo had an uncanny resemblance to his father. Although his father wasn't around much, when he was Enzo found himself looking up to him. He wasn't the best role model in the slightest but he was Enzo's father after all.
So not only from looks, he resembled his father, but also because he had started to gain a lot of similar qualities to him. His father had an odd effect on people as well, but in his case, it was much stronger and more evident. It was obvious that the people he would talk to get easily intimidated by his presence and become rather uneasy. Enzo wanted to be able to do the same thing since he knew he could use it to his advantage. He knew if he had that edge to him he could effortlessly get people to leave him alone and was pretty much oblivious to that fact that he already somewhat was.
[/reducio][center][b][i] year ii. [/i][/b] [/center][center][color=#ada17b]────────────────────────────────[/color][/center][center][i]comprehend languages (parseltongue) [/i]⇩[/center][reducio]Growing up in the Delcroix household would have been truly unbearable if Enzo had not taught himself to stop wallowing in his own pity and try to find a few small things that interested him and gave him something to do.
Whereas a more typical kid may have found it boring, even the things like discovering how there was a world of knowledge tucked away upstairs gave him a rare feeling of excitement.
In fact, after that particular discovery, he spent most of his free time in the attic, entertaining himself by scavenging through rows upon rows of the dusty forgotten books up there, and it eventually happened to grow to be his favourite and most treasured pastimes.

One day when he had escaped the clutches of his tutor earlier than usual, he snuck upstairs and picking up where he left off, continued rummaging through and investigating a couple more boxes of books when one specifically caught his eye, but he couldn’t put a finger on what exactly had stood out to him. Perhaps it was how its spine was slightly peeling off from being quite obviously well-loved, or how its delicate pages were just yearning to be turned, but nonetheless, whatever it was he wanted it. So, he proceeded to stash it away in the inside of his sweater for later when he would go back to his room and be able to properly examine it.

Later that night, before he went to sleep, he pulled the book out to look at it again as planned. Unfortunately, the title was somewhat faded so all he could make out from it was the word “languages” but, his original inclination to read the book, had surprisingly still had not wavered. When he finally opened the book and began to read, he was in an instant swallowed by its contents, and consumed with fascination.
The book was filled with all sorts of details on magical languages and even had the basics for learning some of them. However, after skimming through it and everything it spoke about, the section in regards to Parseltongue was the most captivating to him by far.
So, then suddenly devoted to understanding more about Parseltongue, all the nights following that day had been spent secretly learning and memorizing each page from front to back, as well as attempting to mutter to himself the sounds of simple words. Though he did struggle with that aspect quite a bit, he still did his best to guess the annunciations.

The day he knew that he was actually making progress was when his mother had taken him out for a short visit to the zoo. After all that time of trying to learn parseltongue, he really wanted to test out what he had learnt and see if he was advancing properly. So day after day he had pleaded with his parents to take him to the zoo and reasoned with them that it would be beneficial to his studies. Not knowing that he had an ulterior motive, they finally agreed. The moment they got there he instantly rushed over to where the snakes were kept and went as close to the glass as possible to see if he could hear them. To his great delight he had made out some words here and there and that definitely helped motivate him to continue learning for he knew he was on the right track.

As time went on there was ultimately nothing new left to read in that book, so it practically became a mission of his to find more books on the matter and find out as much information as possible. And in the end, he unexpectedly succeeded, to the point where he was actually pretty confident in his ability to grasp the essentials of parseltongue.
While never getting the chance to meet a real Parselmouth to practice with, alongside not telling anyone of his developing skill, all that was left to him was what the books enclosed, which stopped him from ever being able to speak fluently.
But on the upside, it was not that bothersome to him for he frankly impressed himself with figuring out how to just understand. 

Funnily enough though, even after all he knew, he fancied the process so much that he was not intending to stop searching for more knowledge anytime soon.
[/reducio][center][b][i] year iii. [/i][/b] [/center][center][color=#ada17b]────────────────────────────────[/color][/center][center][i]fearless[/i] ⇩[/center][reducio]Enzo, quite frankly, was just too unbothered to be afraid. Fear was not really a concept to him, for you usually had to care to feel such an emotion. Most commonly it would be triggered and brought forth by the sensation of intimidation or by feeling threatened in situations that are not under your control, neither of which Enzo felt he was truly ever at risk of. Even in the case that he was, Enzo was the type of person to sarcastically laugh in the face of danger. In his mind he saw it as why add an unnecessary emotion to a situation out of your hands, that will cause nothing but more distress and more uneasiness.

Enzo always thought it to be a weak and a sorry excuse for an attempt of displaying some type of bravado, quite like the way a peacock will spread and show off its tail feathers, when others used intimidation to instil fear in those opposing them. It was a dramatic performance with nothing of substance to back it up. Same went for the people who would yell or scream when in arguments, throwing around empty words as a means to prove a point. It was just silly, and Enzo could see them for what they truly were. In the harshest and most straightforward terms terrified and insecure themselves.

When it came to fear in a more physical sense however, Enzo was still not fazed. If tossed into a high stakes environment such as a broom race or something of that sort, while some people's anxiety or anticipation may be brewing and stirring negative thoughts within them like a bubbly hot cauldron, he rather preferred to upcycle it and use the very same adrenaline and channel it into doing his absolute best. Fear was a large obstacle and would try its very hardest to stop people from reaching their highest potential, but Enzo would not be a victim of it no matter what.

It was likely a trait he received from both his parents, for there was no doubt in his mind that however tough and stoic they were, when he looked at his mother and father he saw two incredibly bold and unwavering people, who shied away from nothing and no one. He deeply admired that quality, because carrying yourself with such an air of confidence and poise left little to no room for anyone to ever question you. Enzo could appreciate that, hence it was something he always wanted for himself too.
[/reducio][center][b][i] year iv. [/i][/b] [/center][center][color=#ada17b]────────────────────────────────[/color][/center][center][i]perfectionist[/i] ⇩[/center][reducio]Perhaps it was the judgemental eyes of his parents, or the many hours of gruelling tutoring sessions, or even an arrogant strive to always be the best. Frankly in truth it might even be an amalgamation of all. But nevertheless, Enzo wanted to not just be good but excel greatly at everything and anything he picked up. He had no patience nor tolerance for mistakes. Mistakes were a waste of time, time that could have been spent bettering himself in something else. 

On the one hand it was indeed a rather big flaw. It influenced his character in such a way where Enzo rarely would accept when he was in the wrong, and would do much to avoid ever finding himself in such scenarios. He was extremely headstrong and once he had made up his mind, it would take far too much to convince him otherwise. 

However on the other hand, there was always positivity to be found if you looked close enough. Underneath all the facade of desperately needing things to go the way he wanted, Enzo’s meticulousness was also able to push him for the better. It gave him the skills of being detail oriented, thorough and precise, enabling him to succeed exceptionally in areas of his choosing. 

Take his studies for example. Outside of school, all on his very own, from just rereading and memorizing word for word a few dusty old books he found hidden away in his attic, he was able to grasp the fundamentals of parseltongue without any help or verbal assistance from anyone. Enzo had been so fascinated and determined to learn the language of snakes, that he spent every free second he had perfecting and revising the knowledge that was accessible to him. Consuming his mind wholly, he did not rest properly until he had done so. 

Not to mention, it surely was an asset when it came to school. Especially since he was growing older now and the workload was ever increasing, it was a motivator both good and bad, that pushes him no matter how bored or uninterested he was feeling, to sit down and practice practice practice, until he was confident he would reach or surpass his own expectations. 

The feeling of knowing that you could have done something better, studied a little harder, revised a bit longer, was a torment like no other. It was the one true enemy and ultimate nemsis of perfectionism, and Enzo was constantly seeking to slay it for good.
[/reducio][center][b][i] year v. [/i][/b] [/center][center][color=#ada17b]────────────────────────────────[/color][/center][center][i]non-verbal magic [/i]⇩[/center][reducio]If anyone, Enzo was the last person who would ever shy away from intense concentration and discipline. He loved a challenge, as a matter of fact he yearned for it, because why would you ever want to stay just mediocre. A challenge meant you had a goal and something to work towards, an opportunity to be better. Without that he would feel lost, without a way or a sense of direction, like he was blindfolded and dropped into the middle of the deep sea with no land for miles in any direction.

Magic was certainly a fickle thing, it did not particularly like to be controlled, you were more like its conduit than its master and Enzo did well to recognize that early on. He was always driven to achieve great lengths with its practice and as such would immediately jump on every opportunity he had to exercise the skills he was learning at school.

As his fifth year drew closer and he was obviously becoming very confident and comfortable with his current range of abilities, he decided it was time to begin his deep dive into how he could push himself to the next level. 

It was certainly quite the undertaking for regular casting already took a lot of attentiveness and focus, but Enzo was determined to master the art of spell casting without uttering a word or even a sound aloud. It was a feat he loved witnessing because it appeared so effortless but in truth it was a pure display of mental strength.

So, he began practicing right away. He would search for a quiet place, where even a pin drop could be heard, so that he would be able to be fully immersed in complete silence with nothing but the sound of his own thoughts, in order to obtain absolute focus. He would close his eyes and inhale deeply before first envisioning the incantation of the spell that he wanted to cast, and then would clearly enunciate the sounds in his mind as if he was reading it audibly for the very first time. However, patience was the key.

He repeated this process a countless amount of times with different spells, clinging on to the elation of seeing his wand flicker briefly with a silent recitation of “lumos”, or an object twitch following his distinct thought of the word “accio”, until he was able to perform each spell just as he would have with his voice.
[/reducio][/quote]

Approved - Mags, 29 June 2024

Approved - Magdalena, 29 June 2024